


Breathe

by edensgarden



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, I just really needed this for myself, Reader-Insert, but I hope it helps you too, comforting boyfriend, overworked and stressed reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:20:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23717335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edensgarden/pseuds/edensgarden
Summary: You've had a long day. Lucky for you, your boyfriend knows exactly what to do.
Relationships: Aone Takanobu/Reader
Comments: 16
Kudos: 152





	Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I've had a very mentally taxing week at work and this piece has helped me work through some of the tension I had been feeling.  
> It was very therapeutic for me to write this, so I really do hope you guys like it and leave me some love. 💜
> 
> PSA: Please never neglect your mental health. Look after yourself and invest time in self-care - you deserve it.

The wind whistles through your hairy, a cool chill running up your spine as you twist the key in the hole of the door in front of you. Pushing it open, you step inside your apartment, letting the door click behind you softly. You sigh as you press your back against it, dropping your head to rest on the hardwood.

You don’t even bother flicking the light switch, your eyes adjusting to the darkness, taking in the faint shadow of your couch from the living room. You close your eyes for a second, the heaviness in your chest aggravating your ability to breathe.

_Finally home._

Your bag slips from your fingers and falls on the ground with a soft thud, your jacket and scarf following suit as you wearily slip off your shoes. You don’t have the energy to pick them off the ground.

With heavy steps you drag your body to the living room, turning your head to the connected kitchen when you spot a tuft of white hair in your field of vision. Aone is sitting beside the counter, his brows rising as he takes in your slumped form.

He has a cup of steaming tea in his hands, his elbows resting on the marble table with his piercing amber eyes lingering on you. The furrow in his brow bone can easily be misinterpreted as an angry glare for you coming home so late, but you can see the concern and relief behind them.

You notice the other cup next to him and you feel your heavy heart fill with warmth at the image of him towering over the kitchen counter, preparing your favorite kind of tea. The dim light of the bulb hanging from the ceiling casts a shadow on his stern face that for some reason makes him look softer.

“You’re still up?”

You ask in a meek voice, feeling the sting in your nose as you start to itch your neck nervously. He places the mug on the table silently, his eyes dropping to watch the little ripples swimming inside the porcelain.

The pressure in your heart is too much, the way his observant eyes analyze your every movement causing you to release a humorless laugh. You want to diffuse the tension that charges the air between the two of you, so you decide to do what you do best when you feel like the world is crumbling around you – you crack a joke.

“You’re in my spot, Iceberg.”

Aone stands up with a low exhale and starts walking towards you. You refuse to lift your head to face him, knowing that the genuineness in his eyes will surely lead you to spill like an overflowing kettle. Much to your aggravation, your hands start shaking once he’s only inches from you. You bite your lip, to which he raises his hands to pull at your chin to stop you.

The whizzing of your fridge fills the silence between you and it’s as if a lifetime of tenseness passes. Your throat is tight from the unspoken words dying in them and you desperately try to hold it in, wanting to spare your boyfriend yet another breakdown.

You didn’t want to put him through yet another one of your crying fits, terrified that eventually he’ll tire of you. The mere thought of not having him around fills you with trembling terror, but your boyfriend seems to sense where your thoughts are wandering – and it’s a place he dislikes; a place he would rather you not go.

With strong arms that have always felt like safety and home, he pulls you flush against his chest. Aone has always had a comforting smell; the scent of a snowy mountain enveloping you. Something inside you snaps at his warm embrace. His fingers stroke along your back in feathery strokes when you choke out your first sob, followed by tears spilling down your twisted face as you shake against him.

You’re like this for a long while, no words leaving your lips. He simply holds you and lets you release all of your pent up stress. He doesn’t say anything – he doesn’t have to. Aone has always been the type to speak volumes without having to utter a single word.

The way his hand settles protectively around the back of your head, his other snaking around your waist gives you the security to let the frustrations of the day wash over you in waves. He looms over you like an iron wall, a strong steadiness that promises to catch you should you threaten to fall.

Once your shoulders stop shaking, he releases his hold on your head, his hand going up to stroke your hair lovingly. From the top of your scalp all the way to the slight curl of your ends, going back up to repeat the same pattern. The soothing vibrations of his chest calms you into a relaxed state, his low thundering voice humming tirelessly.

You hiccup against him with a laugh, your hands clutching the fabric of his cotton sweater. The irony of him singing the tune of the lullaby you had used on him back in high school whenever he was nervous before a big match – using your own methods against you... It was just such an Aone thing to do.

The bright night lights filtering through the large panes illuminate your intertwined bodies, casting a tall shadow of your embrace on the wall beside you. You catch a glimpse of it, the strain on your fingers subsiding slowly.

The thought that he stayed up this late to wait for you to come back makes you want to both cry and melt into a pile of happiness. He is so warm against you, his even breathing encouraging you to follow suit and you finally feel your lungs expanding to fill themselves with the mountainy scent.

“I’m sor-“

“Your tea.”

He speaks over your intended apology, a finality to his voice that leaves no room for protest. He waits another minute until he feels your shoulders loosen and your hands unclench from him before he pulls away, making sure that his large hands are holding you steadily.

His brows are still furrowed as he continues to stare at you expectantly like a pouting Siberian husky and you can’t help the smile breaking out on your face.

He really hasn’t changed much since the day you had run into him in the hallways of your high school. Even back then he had very much been like a big dog – all bark but no bite as he would scare everyone with his glowering glare, when in reality he was anything but scary.

“I’m okay.” You say as you wipe your eyes with your sleeve, sniffling a little. He nods as if he’s agreeing with you, leaning in to press a tender kiss on your forehead before he’s darting off to the bedroom.

You watch him leave and trudge to the tall counter, lifting your body to sit on the stool. Your hands curl around the warm cup and you instantly release a content sigh, allowing the goosebumps to spread across your body.

You lift the cup towards your nose, closing your eyes when the scent of sweet apples swirl around you in a pleasant way, your other hand tracing the patterns of the marble absentmindedly.

_Your favorite tea._

You appreciate the space Aone gives you, allowing you to recover from your earlier meltdown as well as give you the time to recollect your thoughts and feelings.

You, more than anyone, know that there was nothing more that he wanted than sit beside you and embrace the pain out of you.

But he, more than anyone, knows that in these moments, the one thing you really need is time to yourself to recharge and let go of all the tension your body had been holding.

You let your legs dangle, sipping the tea and revelling at how it instantly settles your churning stomach. You don’t know how much time passes but when you’re sure he must already be sleeping, you lift your head at the sound of his thunderous footsteps to see him leaning over the counter.

His glimmering eyes travel from your face to the cup in your hands and then back up to you, a silent question in them that you can decipher immediately from years of being together.

“Thank you, babe. It was really delicious.” You whisper.

He’s by your side in an instant when you lower the cup, his large hands taking your much smaller ones with a squeeze. You manage a small smile, feeling a crack in the darkness surrounding your shoulders, allowing a ray of light to infiltrate.

He guides you forward and you’re surprised to find that instead of bringing you to your bed, he pulls you into the dark bathroom. You freeze at the doorstep, inhaling sharply at what greets you.

A drawn out bath with pink magnolias scattered across the water, candles shining on the corners of the tub.

_Where did he even get the flowers from?_

The beautiful and tentative scent of the magnolias fill the bathroom sweetly, Aone tugging you forward. You gulp, too speechless to say anything.

He pulls your chin towards him, leaning down to lock your lips with his, a soft groan coming from the back of his throat when he tastes the sweet apple on you. His thumb strokes along your cheek fondly as he deepens the kiss; another small crack in the shadows lighting up your back in warmth.

He kisses you breathless, your soft whines the only sound to fill the dimmed room at the way he gently caressed your body. When he draws away, his nimble fingers dip inside your shirt to rub small circles along your hip bone before he helps you undress, placing one small peck after another on your bare skin. He explores your body with precision, humming in satisfaction at each delicious exhale you release.

“ _Taka-kun…_ ”

He loves how you are so pliant for him, _so soft_ and wonderful to touch.

You love how each part he touches leaves a burning sensation on your skin, your core buzzing with warmth.

Aone takes your hand and guides you into the bath, a hint of a smile on his handsome face when you sigh and sink into the warm water. He lowers himself on the fuzzy carpet beside you, crossing his arms on the edge of the tub and resting his cheek on them to gaze at you.

The curtains are rolled aside, allowing the moonlight to shine from the windows above and cast a saintly glow on you. He looks at you with so much love and reverence, you feel your cheeks heating up, a sly brush creeping up your neck.

“Quit staring.” you mutter as you nudge him, turning your face away from him bashfully.

“But I like looking at you.”

He takes your hand and kisses your knuckles, closing his eyes peacefully when you reach to cup his cheek. The effects of the warm bath slowly kick in and you feel your muscles loosening, the tension dripping from you like ice cream on a hot summer day.

“You’re so beautiful.” he says.

If he notices how your chest flushes a bright red, he doesn’t let it show.

“You’re so intelligent.” Aone twists his head slightly to press his plush lips against your palm, his amber eyes drinking up the sight of you vulnerable and bare in front of him.

“You’re so driven.” His hand dips into the water and curls around your calf, massaging it with his strong fingers. A pleased sigh escapes your lips and you can see the way his shoulders twitch.

He doesn’t have to say more for you to understand where he’s trying to go with this. You can see it in the burning glimmer of his intense stare when he focuses back on you, ‘No matter what happens. You’ll manage somehow. You always do.’

Your eyes start stinging again – this time for an entirely different reason.

Words will never be enough to express your gratitude for his unwavering love and support. He had proven time and again that he more than makes up for the lack of his words.

He might not be an outspoken lover like you sometimes would want him to be, but you have yet to meet someone as attentive as him. Someone, who was as devoted to you as him.

The way he would wordlessly understand exactly how you were feeling and what you were thinking.

The way he was by your side through thick and thin without once complaining or making you feel guilty.

The way he simply loved you as if that was what he had been born to do.

Any insecure thought that might sneak in your mind had no chance to keep up as Aone infiltrates every pore of your being. He washes away the haunting events of today by being present – his presence always puts you at ease.

Being with Aone is like standing on top of a snowy mountain after a very tiring and long hike. He makes sure you don’t give up when your mind tempts you to do so, allowing you to bathe in the feeling of accomplishment and pride.

Being with Aone is like dancing on clouds, quite literally as if you are in heaven – the only two people in the world.

Opening your eyes, you notice him drifting in and out of sleep. Your fingers sift through his soft strands; this time it’s you humming affectionately. You can’t tear your gaze from his peaceful form, your blood overflowing with affection for this giant, steady iron wall of a boyfriend.

_Ah… I’m really one lucky girl._

You smile fondly at him when you hear a snore rip from his throat, his grip on your leg weakening to a barely there hold.

You remember thinking if today could get any worse as you sat on the train on your ride back home.

Looking at Aone curled up beside the tub, you can’t help but snort. He reminds you of a loyal dog waiting for his owner to finish up their bath, refusing to leave them alone for even a second.

_With a boyfriend like him… How could any day possibly end badly?_

Later that night when you’re pressed flush against his broad chest, his body heat enveloping you comfortingly, you feel your heavy eyelids finally falling closed, a last long sigh releasing from your lungs.

“It’s alright if you run out of breath…” He mutters above you and you tense, surprised that he’s still up. “No one will blame you.”

You blink your tears away – seriously, how much could a person cry in a day? – but he only continues to stroke your hair fondly.

“Don’t think of anything else.“ He whispers against your ear, the hair on the back of your neck standing proudly. “Try to get some sleep, angel. Now, more than anything, you need rest.”

He leans back slightly to press an affectionate kiss on your forehead and you close your eyes to relish in the feeling of his warm lips against your skin. The shadow above you breaks apart entirely, casting a solacing glow over you. He pulls away to bury your face in his neck, the smell of pure mountain air and stones settling in your lungs.

You feel yourself slipping out of consciousness, the combined attack of him playing with your hair and stroking your back sending tingles shooting up your spine, lulling you into a deep slumber.

The last thing you hear is his distant voice, laced with so much pride, you can’t stop your heart from combusting,

“You really did a good job (Name).”


End file.
